It commemorates the Golden Jubilee of the founding of the Canterbury Settlement (1900) and is also a memorial to the 79 soldiers from Canterbury who died in the South African War (1900 - 1902).
The foundation stone was laid on 22 June 1901 by the Duke of Cornwall and York (who later became King George V), and the statue was unveiled on 25 May 1903 by the Mayoress, Mrs H. F. Wigram. The statue was crafted by the British sculptor Francis J. Williamson.


